2-D/3-D Switchable Display by Fresnel-Type LC Lens

We demonstrate a multi-electrode Fresnel-type 2-D/3-D switchable display with electrically controlled birefringence mode liquid crystal (LC) lenses. By applying a discontinuous nonuniform electric field, the display with this structure can form a Fresnel-type refractive-index distribution to generate 3-D images. Compared to a normal LC lens, the Fresnel-type LC lens can achieve faster switching speed for dynamic applications. It can also replace the high sag solid lens for 3-D applications with relatively small cell gap. Furthermore, a Fresnel lens with suitable refractive-index profile is proposed to reduce the crosstalk in the 3-D displays.